Automatic shut-off



. 1,640,947 J. A. LOCKHART AUTOMATIC' SHUT-OFF Filed Feb. 12, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 30,1927.

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J. A. LoCKHAR-r.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF Filed Feb. l2, 192,6 2 Sheets-Sweet 2 Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES- f 1,640,947 PATENT OFFICE..

JAMES A. LOCKHART, REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Y AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF.

Application led. February 12, 1926. Serial No. 87,821.

accompanying description and pointed out in the appended claims.

The subject mattei' of this invention may be utilized in connection with any reservoir or basin which normally contains a quantity of liquid and which has associated therewith a supply pipe and a discharge pipe; but for the purpose of the present description, the invention will be explained as embodied in a preferred construction for use in flushtanks of customary type.

The preferred construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention with portions of the apparatus in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing certain elements disclosed in Fig. 1 but in a 'different position; and

Fig. 3 is asec-tion on the line 3-8 of Fig. 1.

Apparatus constructed in accordance Vwith thisrinvention comp-rises essentially a valve casing having a passage through which liquid flows to a. basin or reservoir, said valve casing housing a freely movable lvalve adapted to seat to shut ofi" the iiowof water therethrough, means for moving.' the valve awa-y from its seat and. for holding it off of its seat to permit the flow of water tothe reservoir, and means operable upon the accumulation of water within the reservoir to release the valve to permit the pressure of the water within the casing to seat the valve.

The reservoir or basin is represented by" the flushetank 6 which may have a cover 7v` and which is provided with a supply pipe 8 anfda discharge pipe 9. having ay substantially horizontal passage 11, a downwardly directed nozzle 12 and an intermediate. annular valve seat 13, is liXed upon the end of the supply pipe 8, and with- A valve casing 10" in the passage 11 is a ball valve 14 whichl is freelymovable toward and from the seat Pressure of water within the supply pipe normally holds the ball valve inseated! position, eifectually shutting off the flow of water from the nozzle 12. Incase the water in the supply pipe is cut off, a check screw 15 extending into the passage 11 prevents the balL 14. irom rolling into the supply pipe.

The screw may he fixed in` position by ai lock nut and washer, but in order to prevent leakage it is preferred to solder 'the screw in place, as shown.

lThe mechanism for moving the ball valve 1st-.away from its seat to permit the flow of water includes a rod 16 slidable longitudinally ofthe passage 11 in a guide sleeve 17 integral with the 'casing 10 and projecting horizontally in line with passage 1l `from a point n ear the junction of the nozzle 12 withV the casing proper. The rod 1G is actuated .by a lever 18 pivoted at 19 to a fixed bracket 20, the free end of the lever extending yinto an elongate vertical slot 21 in the rod 16.4 Lever 18 is operated by a handle 22 at the outside of the tank, the handle being secured to a shaft 23-journalled in an opening in the wall of the tank. The shaft carries a bell` crank lever comprising an armV 24 inside of the tank, and this arm is pivotally connected to a link 25 which is pivoted to the upper arm of lever 18. The other arm 24s" of the bell-crank lever is connected by a link to-a second lever 26', pivoted at 27 to the fixed member 20. The free end of lever 26 is joined by a'bail 29` to a flush valve 30 which is adapted to seat in the mouth ofthe discharge' pipe 9. The levers, links and arm 24 are constructed and arranged in a well-'known manner toA permit movement of the handle 22 in either direction to operate both levers simultaneously, the free end of lever 18 moving to the right of the drawing until the position of Fig. 2 is assumed, and the free end of lever 26: moying upwardly to raise valve 30' from itsrv sea f Said movement ofthe lever 18 pushes rod' 16 toward the ball 14; and carries'the latter away from its seat to the position of Fig. 2,- permitting the flow of water through the valve casing; The inner end of rod' 16 is preferably lrovided with an enlarged head 31 having its forward facev s'pherically concave vto conform to the surface ofV ball 14. When the valve is closed the head 31 abuts shoulders at the inner end of sleeve 17 to prevent outward retraction of the rod through the sleeve. The passage 11 may be enlarged at 32 to ensure a free supply of water around the ball 1li when the valve is open. y

In order to hold the ball valve 14 oseat after the handle 22 is released, a pawl 33, suspended from one end of a rock lever 34, slides downwardly within a radial guide Orifice in sleeve 17 and engages at its low r end with a latch shoulder 35 in the rod 16 (Fig. 2). Lever 34C is fulcruined between upwardly projecting lugs 36 and is rocked by means of a weighted rod 37 to which it is connected at one end by a Z-shaped crank member. 38. rllie crank member 33 is trunnioned in an upwardly projecting boss 39, one end thereof being fixed to rod 37 and the other end or crank passing loosely through a hole at the end Li0 of bar 34. Rod 37 isv weighted by the hollow bali Ll-1 which alsoserves as a float as hereinafter explained. Downward movement of the weighted end of rod 3"? causes tiie end l0 of bar 34 to be raised, depressing the pawl 33 to engage shoulder 35 of rod 16 as aforo said ,1 while movement of rod 37 in the opposite direction lifts pawl 33 from said engagement. ln its normal positionthe lower end of rod 37 is raised by the float 41 sufi'iciently to hold pawl 33 in retracted position as shown in Fig. 1,the water in the tank or same time, since the discharge pipe is substantially larger in diameter than the supply pipe, the water level in the tank will rapidly be lowered, carrying the float t1 downward and depressing pawl 33 to engage shoulder 35 and thus hold ball valve 1li ofi'- seat. When the tank has been sufficiently exhausted of water, check valve 30 will be Aclosed automatically by its own weight and the suction of water through pipe 9, and the lever 18 will be restored to normal position, its lower end having freedom of movement in the slot 21 which is of su'icient length to permit said movement without the exertion of pressure on the pawl.

VAs the tank is refilled with water, the float will rise, ultimately retracting pawl 33 from engagement and unlocking rod 16. 'Vi/later pressure in chamber 11 will then forcibly close ballA valve 141, at the saine time giving appended claims.

l claim: .y 1. it. supply valve for liquids comprising a casing having a restricted opening constituting a valve seat, a ball valve loo-se within the casing normally closing said valve seat by pressure of the liquid thereon, a rod slidable longitudinally through said opening in y the direction of the path Vof motion of the ball valve, means formoving the rod to force the ball valve off seat, a pawl carried by the casing adapted automatically to engage the rod to hold the valve open, and means for releasing the pawl whereby the balll valve suddenly closes by pressure of the liquid.-

.2. fr supply valve for liquids comprising a casing having arestricted opening constituting av valve seat, a ball valve loose lwithin the casing normally closing said valve seat by pressure of the liquid thereon, a rod slidable longitudinally through said opening in the direction of the path of motion of the ball valve, said rod having a depressed shoulder intermediate its ends, means for moving the rod through said opening to force the ball valve olf seat, a pawl movable into engagement with said shoulder to hold said valve open, and means for releasing the pawl from engagement with said shoulder where-A stricted opening constituting a valve seat,

a supply valve vnormally closed upon said seat, a rod slidable longitudinally through said opening to open-the valve, a valve normally closing the discharge pipe, means for concomitantly opening said discharge valve and moving said'rod to forcethe supply valve off seat, a pawl carried by the casing adapted automatically to engage the rod upon the opp-,- eration of said means to hold'thevalve olf seat, and means operable upon the accumula-.f 'tion of liquid within the reservoirto release said pawl from engagement with'the rod, whereby the valve is suddenly closed'by pressure of the liquid.V Y Y 4i. n I n a'reservoir for liquids having supply pipe and ay discharge pipe, a valve casing connected with the supply pipe having a restricted opening constituting a valve seat, a ball valve loose Within the casing normally closing said valve seat by pressure of the liquid thereon, a rod slidable longitudinally through said opening in the direction of the path of motion of the ball valve to open said valve, said rod having a depressed shoulder intermediate its ends, a valve normally closing the discharge pipe, means for conoomitantly opening said discharge valve and moving said rod to force the ball valve o seat, a pawl movable into engagement with said shoulder to hold said valve open, and means operable upon the accumulation of liquid within the reservoir to release the pawl from said engagement, whereby the ball valve is suddenly closed by pressure of the liquid.

5. In a reservoir for liquids 'having a supply pipe and a discharge pipe, a casing connected with the supply pipe, a ballv valve freely mo-vable in the casing but normally seated by pressure of the liquid within the casing thereupon, a flush valve normally closing the discharge pipe, a rod slidable longitudinally through the casing in the direction of the path of motion of said ball valve, said rod having a depressed shoulder intermediate its ends and an elongate lslot adjacent to its outer end, a lever pivoted for swinging movement, one end of the lever entering said slot, means lor concomitantly opening said flush valve and for moving said lever to cause the rod to force the ball valve olf of its seat, a pawl movable into engagement with said shoulder when the ball valve is open to hold said valve off of its seat thereby permitting the flow of liquid through the casing, the lever moving freely longitudinally of the slot in the rod as the flush valve returns to closed position, a float, and means actuable thereby for releasing the pa-vvl from engagement with said Shoulder when the float is raised by the accumulation of liquid within the reservoir, whereby the ball valve is permitted to close bythe force of the liquid from the supply pipe. l

Signed by me at Revere, Massachusetts, this 9th day of February, 1926.

JAMES A. LOCKHART. 

